In early June 2019, an intense heatwave scorched northern India. Some regions experienced temperatures surpassing 45°C (113°F) for the better part of three weeks. On June 10, Delhi reached its hottest day on record for the month, reaching 48°C (118°F).
The map above shows temperatures on June 10 in India and Pakistan, which has also been experiencing hot and dry conditions in the past two months. The map was derived from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model, and represents air temperatures at 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) above the ground. The GEOS-5 model, like all weather and climate models, uses mathematical equations that represent physical processes (like precipitation and cloud processes) to calculate what the atmosphere will do. Actual measurements of physical properties, like temperature, moisture, and winds, are routinely folded into the model to keep the simulation as close to measured reality as possible.
May and June are generally some of the hottest months for this region, but the number of heatwaves—especially during May—has been increasing, according to India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences. Eleven of India’s 15 warmest years have occurred since 2004. 2018 was the sixth-warmest year for the country since record-keeping started in 1901.
In 2019, sparse rainfall during the pre-monsoon season, along with a delayed monsoon, have made the heat more unbearable. Monsoon weather has been running about a week late in its journey across the southeast Bay of Bengal. Monsoon rains finally arrived in parts of southern India around June 8 (about seven days later than usual). Delhi has also experienced some temperature dips due to rain on June 11-12, as well as a dust storm. However, monsoon season may not fully develop in north or central India until early July (later than normal).
Meteorologists expect a near-normal monsoon season on the whole, but northwestern India and Pakistan are predicted to experience a drier-than-normal season.
References & Resources
- AccuWeather (2019, June 6) Temperatures pass 50 C as grueling India heat wave enters 2nd week with no end in sight. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- Government of India, Ministry of Earth Sciences (2019, February 6) Heat Waves. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- India Today (2019, June 8) Monsoon finally hits Kerala coast after weekâs delay, says IMD. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- India Today (2019, June 12) North India sees weather change: Flash floods kill 2 in J&K, Delhi hit by dust storm. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- reliefweb (2019, June 7) India â heatwave. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- Reuters (2019, June 3) Worldâs 15 hottest places are in India, Pakistan as pre-monsoon heat builds. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- The Washington Post (2019, June 5) âIt is horridâ: India roasts under heat wave with temperatures above 120 degrees. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- The Weather Channel (2019, June 10) Delhi Witnesses Hottest June Day on Record; Northwest India Enters Third Week of Intense Heat. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- The Times of India (2019, June 10) Delhi records all-time high of 48 degrees Celsius in June, heatwave to continue. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- The Times of India (2019, June 11) Light rain in Delhi brings some respite from heat, dust storm predicted. Accessed June 12, 2019.
- Weather Underground (2019, June 5) Another Subpar Monsoon Season Likely for India in 2019. Accessed June 12, 2019.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua Stevens, using GEOS-5 data from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA GSFC. Story by Kasha Patel.
